Fred Sipe wrote:Hamburg gravy over mashed potatoes with lots of bread and butter.

Great idea. And one of my two favorite cafeteria meals from 7th-8th grade! They called it 'Salisbury Steak' though from TV Dinners I recognize that it is supposed to be something else (don't believe I've run into it anywhere else). I think the hostess is doing something involving hot dogs so weiners might be out of play.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Bill Spohn wrote:I have tried to think of reasons why this would seem like a good or interesting thing to do and I am coming up dry.

Guess I just don't get this one. (need a scratching head icon here)

I do and I don't. As someone who creates most of my own food rather than rely on recipes, I enjoy a challenge and this certainly is one. But some elevating is needed, just eating crappy food because it's made out of processed/packaged ingredients doesn't work for me.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Bill Spohn wrote:I have tried to think of reasons why this would seem like a good or interesting thing to do and I am coming up dry.

Guess I just don't get this one. (need a scratching head icon here)

I do and I don't. As someone who creates most of my own food rather than rely on recipes, I enjoy a challenge and this certainly is one. But some elevating is needed, just eating crappy food because it's made out of processed/packaged ingredients doesn't work for me.

I thought the whole idea was to recreate trashy food in a way that makes it great. I'll bet there are a bunch of recipes in White Trash Cooking that could be re-done in a way that would look somewhat the same but would taste far better. That's what makes the dinner concept fun.

We just got back from a road trip through a lot of redneck country, and saw dead deer by the side of the road in almost ever state even in urban areas. My True Love remarked to me that you would never see that (dead deer by the side of the road) in Northern New England; so I guess we are the rednecks.

A number of the ideas mentioned here seem like nothing worse than what a lot of middle class families might throw together on week night. I'd think if it's truly "trailer food," it comes pre-made from a box and the most you do is warm it up. Which frankly wouldn't be much different than college kids or even a lot of bachelors.

Mike Filigenzi wrote:I thought the whole idea was to recreate trashy food in a way that makes it great. I'll bet there are a bunch of recipes in White Trash Cooking that could be re-done in a way that would look somewhat the same but would taste far better. That's what makes the dinner concept fun.

No rules have been spelled out in detail beyond the initial announcement, but I would have to think it is and I honestly can't approach it any other way! I know the hosts were inspired by a local annual contest that apparently lures author Tom Robbins, a resident, out of his lair as emcee or judge, not sure which, and that's rare. I've not been, but it must be a hoot. So that's what I'm trying to find, that balance between packaged food and real food that in some way resembles packaged food but is a whole lot better. But I'm now in limbo waiting to hear what the hostess is preparing (she's laid claim to two main dishes, but no details) so that I can figure out something complementary.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Have to admit, they taste pretty fine to me, too. Still remember my first one! We were kids on vacation in Yosemite, and an unopened bag was given to us by the people who vacated the cabin next door during our stay. It was love at first bite.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

I remember hot roast beef sandwiches, made from leftover roast beef, real mashed potatoes, and a good gravy....No need to make over that one! Oh, somewhere in there was a slice of Wonder Bread, under the meat and gravy, I think.

(How about "nachos" that consist of ground beef, sour cream, Cheez Wiz and ketchup with Tabasco?)

The nachos suggestion maybe but definitely not the possum stew or roadkill! Those are meals made by country folk who live off the land maybe in a trailer but not in a trailer park. The men and women making those dishes and using those natural "wild" ingredients are in one genre great talented cooks. Over the years I have enjoyed chatting with those folks and have learned an awful lot about food preparation, e.g. how to make great smoked white fish using a shoebox. How to catch and prepare crayfish.

In the case of roadkill. I have eaten some very good sausage made from venison acquired from fresh roadkill.

I love the life I live and live the life I love*, and as Mark Twain said, " Always do well it will gratify the few and astonish the rest".